Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bangkok

Archdiocese of Bangkok

Archidiœcesis Bangkokensis

อัครสังฆมณฑลกรุงเทพฯ
Assumption Cathedral, Bangkok
Location
Country Thailand
TerritoryBangkok
Coordinates13°25′56″N 100°18′19″E / 13.4323°N 100.3054°E / 13.4323; 100.3054
Statistics
Area18,831 km2 (7,271 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2012)
13,226,721[1]
115,945[1] (0.9%)
Parishes54[1]
Information
DenominationCatholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
EstablishedDecember 18, 1965
CathedralAssumption Cathedral, Bangkok
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
ArchbishopSede vacante
Apostolic AdministratorFrancis Xavier Vira Arpondratana
Bishops emeritusMichael Michai Kitbunchu
Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij
Map
Website
catholic.or.th

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bangkok (Latin: Archidiœcesis Bangkokensis, Thai: อัครสังฆมณฑลกรุงเทพฯ) is a Latin archdiocese in Thailand. The bishop's seat is the Assumption Cathedral, Bangkok.

History

In 1662, the Apostolic Vicariate of Siam was created [1][2][3] on territory split off from the Apostolic Vicariate of Cochinchina, based in Vietnam.

It was renamed the Apostolic Vicariate of Eastern Siam[1][2] on 10 September 1841, having lost territory to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Western Siam. On 5 May 1899 it lost more territory to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Laos.

It was renamed the Apostolic Vicariate of Bangkok[1][2] on 3 December 1924.

It lost more territories: on 30 June 1930 to establish the Mission sui juris of Rajaburi, on 11 May 1944 to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Chantaburi and on 17 November 1959 to establish the Apostolic Prefecture of Chieng-Mai. All three of these have become its suffragans.

On 18 December 1965, it was elevated to the rank of a Metropolitan archdiocese.[1]

On 9 February 1967 it lost territory to establish the Diocese of Nakhon Sawan as its suffragan.

It was visited by Pope John Paul II in May 1984 and Pope Francis in November 2019.

Extent

The archdiocese covers an area of 18,831 km2, and as of 2002 it is responsible for 81,646 Catholic Christians, 0.7% of the about 12 million living in the area. It covers the administrative provinces Ayutthaya, Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon and Suphanburi; also the parts west of the Bang Pa Kong River of Chachoengsao and Ban Na of Nakhon Nayok belong to the diocese.

Ordinaries

Apostolic Vicars of Siam

Apostolic Vicars of Eastern Siam

Apostolic Vicars of Bangkok

Archbishops of Bangkok

Coadjutor Bishops

Province

Its ecclesiastical province comprises the Metropolitan's own archdiocese and these six suffragan bishoprics :

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Catholic Hierarchy: "Archdiocese of Bangkok" retrieved November 8, 2015[self-published source]
  2. ^ a b c "Vicariate Apostolic of Siam | Original Catholic Encyclopedia". Archived from the original on 2012-03-30. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
  3. ^ "Archdiocese of Bangkok". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.[self-published source]
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